Well, folks, Theala is finally getting back into the business of reviewing gaming products. I can't review every product, but as I buy just about anything Hero related you'll get full reviews on those products, plus the occassional other product from other game systems as my finances allow.
To get us started off, check the list below for my list of current reviews:
The latest offering from Hero Games is by far the most exciting. For the first time since 4th edition (the old Big Blue Book) was published there has been a new and definitive look at the playing of the superhero genre as a whole. In fact, I believe there’s a good chance that this sourcebook just might be a new signature approach to superhero gaming, and set the standard for the genre the way Aaron’s Lands of Mystery and Ninja Hero did.
Aaron addresses a number of important issues when it comes to the playing of the superhero genre. Bear in mind, this book does not contain any setting information, although it does contain the new Champions write-ups and several villain write-ups. This book is a toolkit for playing supers. It has the kind of campaign information that was in the Big Blue Book, only it contains lots more of it, and is far better written and up to date.
Aaron starts out with a history of comic books as a whole. This is important, because there are major genre and tone changes between the so-called Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze and Iron Ages of comics. Each “age” has its own approach, tone, and style to storytelling and understanding the differences between them can help the GM choose a tone that will appeal to his players and contribute to consistent plotting and storytelling. Aaron doesn’t stop there. He goes on to give examples of how and what kinds of stories can be run in each sub-genre, and how they translate into general game terms for the Hero System.
From there, Aaron discusses the timeline, emergence, and culture of superheroes: on how to decide why superpowers emerge, how they affect society, what kinds of origins are possible for characters, and how all these events affect the characters ability to interact both as a superhero and a normal citizen. He tells us how the legal system reacts, and explores how technology might be affected.
Mood is an important element. There are many possibilities the GM can explore, depending on his tastes and those of his players: comedy, drama, romance, horror are all described. Lots of issues affect how the players are going to approach their characters, and how the GM is going to create stories: day jobs, Secret Identities, personal issues, motivation issues. Aaron leaves no stone unturned. Many of these ideas might seem obvious to an old Hero hand. But to a newcomer to the genre they are invaluable, and I found quite a few ideas that sparked inspiration for my own characters and inventions. Best of all, many of these ideas are really multi-genre. They apply to more than just superheroes. You can take these ideas and easily apply them to Fantasy, for example. The Mood and Meta-Genre chapter really applies to any sort of role-playing.
Of course, we get a basic description of character archetypes, such as the Brick, the Energy Projector, the Speedster, Mentalist, Mystic, and so on. Not all the possibilities are covered, but there’s plenty of meat there for newcomers and veterans alike. I especially like the meta-sets in the quick character generation chapter. These sets of assorted powers accomplish two things: they provide a player or GM with a quick and easy way to generate characters on the fly, and tweak them later. They also help to demonstrate the diversity, power, and flexibility of the system. In fact, the meta-sets do a far better job of that than the sample characters provided in the last section of the book.
Vehicles, Bases, and Gadgets don’t get ignored. Creation rules and samples abound, and best of all the Danger Room examples have been updated from 3rd edition to 5th.
It is only at this point that Aaron gets down to discussion how to apply the rules to character generation and work within the guidelines set by the GM. Setting limits on points is discussed in depth, with the advantages and pitfalls clearly shown. Power-gaming and rules abuse examples are given, along with suggestions on how to gives players what they want while still maintaining game balance. How to adapt the rules to the superhero genre are given, as well as how certain maneuvers work within the setting. There’s storytelling and plotting ideas, and suggestions on how to make best use of villains in your stories.
Finally we get to the final section of the book, with the new Champions superhero team and sample villains to get started with. This section is the only part I had any real problems with. The characters are fairly basic, which isn’t a problem in of itself. In fact, it’s probably just as well that these characters are simple. The point is to highlight how basic things can be done with the system, to get players started. Characters with more complicated mechanics can wait for the Champions Universe sourcebook.
Most of the problems I had with the Champions have more to do with character concept than mechanics. There are mechanical problems for these characters—but those aren’t the worst ones.
Take Witchcraft, for example. The name is fairly unimaginative, and the idea behind her origin is trite. Do all witches have to belong to satanic cults? This character comes off as a watered down version of Solitaire (who also was raised in a cult), and isn’t anywhere near as interesting. Witchcraft is shy and unsure of herself. Solitaire is shy and unsure of herself. Witchcraft is in love with Defender. Solitaire was in love with Defender. They should have left Solitaire as she was, or created a completely new character with a completely original origin. I would have liked Witchcraft much better if she were Wiccan, and had some self-confidence.
Ironclad has similar problems relating to Obsidian, but fortunately his background origin comes off much more interesting. I do think that he should have an additional hunted by the people who made him what he is. Nighthawk is mechanically the soundest character of the group, though his obsessive behavior lends him to being an asshole and a lone wolf, and his background lacks the redeeming features Batman enjoys in the animated series (but only rarely in the comics). Defender is as bland as he was in the original. Sapphire is OK, a basic energy projector and an improvement on Quantum though I don’t buy her attraction to Defender: she has money of her own enough to find her own playmates. Without seeing something coming from Defender to inspire feelings of love, the whole things comes across like a schoolgirl crush, and that just doesn’t fit Sapphire’s personality.
The villains have much better origins. Several classic figures dating from the earliest days of the game make an appearance: Pulsar, Green Dragon, and Mechanon. Four new villains join them: Devastator, Icicle, Tachyon, and Talisman. The updated Pulsar and Mechanon are great. Mechanon is much more interesting and deadly than in 4th edition, more savvy. Pulsar adds some punch as well, having more diversity in what he can do. The updated Green Dragon is a pared down version of the character that appears in Watchers of the Dragon. The toned down version makes a good basic thug, but for longevity I’d use the WotD version. Icicle is a great example of how cold-based powers can work. Tachyon has some great ideas on how to use Teleportation. His use of Teleport special effects is interesting and diverse. His biggest weakness is that is all he can do—he is vulnerable to a lot of different kinds of attacks: a basic Drain or Flash and there’s not much he can do from there. Devastator is OK mechanically, though the story of him as a thief who decides to become a power armored thug just rubs against the grain. The picture is awesome though. Talisman is the only redeeming feature Witchcraft has: she’s her evil twin sister. Sure, it’s been used a lot. But Talisman by herself is just a cool villainess, and she also is fairly diverse. Strong in attacks, I would give some better defenses, but she has master villainess potential.
As usual, I have a few comments to make on the art. Hero has gone back to using a number of familiar artists, including Bryce Nakagawa, Storn Cook, and Greg Smith. Some newcomers also join the fold. The art is generally quite good: my favorite pieces are the girl with the oversized top hat and big gloves on page 43, and Talisman on page 212.
Bottom line: a must have book, no matter what you’re playing. Aaron’s ideas on how to weave different elements into the superheroic genre are applicable to any role-playing game setting.
Be A Hero!
Amy G. Crittenden aka Theala Sildorian
Usagi Yojimbo is a new Fuzion RPG from Gold Rush Games based on the popular manga by Stan Sakai. It features the world of Miyamoto Usagi, a ronin wanderer of the Mifune clan. The world is populated by anthropomorphic rabbits, bears, dogs, foxes, bats, rhinos, pigs, and moles but it is more than just a "funny animals" kind of role playing game. Usagi is a serious RPG based on feudal Japan, in a setting which allows for humor and lightheartedness in a way that a more humanistic Japanese rpg (such as the forthcoming Sengoku) would not.
The book begins with a brief introduction to roleplaying, with the assumption that the reader has never gamed before, but quickly goes into the meat of the Fuzion system, providing a complete set of rules tailored to the Usagi Universe. Although I have never been a big Fuzion fan, I do have to say I feel Fuzion is the best system for this particular game. Fuzion is quick, easy, and lets the player concentrate on the free, easy style of the comic without getting bogged down in rules. The author's outline of the Fuzion rules includes lots of genre specific examples to help players new to Fuzion get the idea.
The source material is drawn directly from the comic and lavishly illustrated with clips from the manga, and quotes from Stan Sakai and others involved with the production of Usagi which explain how the manga came about, developed, the history behind the characters (many of whom are based on real life Japanese figures). It also includes an official Usagi timeline of important events in the comic, an index of characters, and "Hebi", a reprint of a short comic which only saw 500 copies in it's original issue and helps give the characters a feel for the genre. The cover is a Stan Sakai original, brightly colored and eye catching.
So how useful is Usagi? It all depends on how the GM and the players approach the game. Obviously, the players can't all be Usagi, nor should they try. The events of Usagi himself would be better left to stand as an example to the players. What Usagi really offers players is an opportunity to roleplay in feudal Japan without having to be intimately familiar with the strict codes of bushido, or having to cope with the seemingly complicated and strict rules of politeness of Japanese society. The players don't have to feel on edge that one slip of the tounge could spell absolute disaster, or if it does, errors are lightened by the fact that everyone's playing a cute little animal. Usagi offers players the opportunity to experience the genre without having to know alot about it, and balances the seriousness with a chance to relax and have a few laughs. It's a good introduction for people who'd like to play a more serious oriental setting without the corny Hollywood mysticism of "Kung Fu", or "The Karate Kid," but who need something a little less heavy than the forthcoming Sengoku or the movie "Shogun."
If nothing else, Usagi is a fun read on it's own merits. The characters are interesting, and comic book fans may find a fun outlet for all those potential storylines running through their heads from month to month waiting for each issue. The comic "Hebi", the timeline and index make it a worthwhile investment for comic fans even if they don't want to play the game.
After months of anticpation, San Angelo: City of Heroes has at last been released. First introducted in 1996 in Heroic Adventures Vol I, Gold Rush Games is launching the first of a series of products around the superheroic city of San Angelo. Set on the West Coast, San Angelo takes the standard set by Steve Long's Hudson City in Justice, Not Law, and improves upon it. This sourcebook is filled with detail and character, describing places, points of interest, people, businesses, institutions, and icons with wonderfully laid out maps and illustrations.
The basic idea behind San Angelo is this. It's your world. Fill it as you will. This sourcebook was written with painstaking detail in most areas. Most. At the same time, Pat Sweeny deliberately left "grey" areas specifically for the creations of the GM. It's YOUR world. YOUR heroes are the most important part of YOUR world. Thus, there is no equivilent of "The Champions" in the San Angelo universe. That role is reserved for YOUR player's characters. Oh, there's history. There is a complete time line of the history of San Angelo, complete with historical superhero organizations who have gone before. But they've faded away, leaving the task of defending the causes of light and order to YOU. The author does this in a number of ways. For example, in a list of prominent businesses, spaces are deliberately left for corporations of your own choice, allowing you to import a favorite from your own imagination. These little spaces let you continue to use old favorites from your previous campaign settings, and help give your players a sense of familiarity with the San Angelo universe. Like Hudson City, San Angelo is well populated. Full write ups of major NPC's your players might run into are included, everone from the Mayor, to street bums, to industrialists. Independant heroes and villains to get the San Angelo universe started are included as well (more on that later). To preview San Angelo while the book was in the final stages of production, GRG President Mark Aresenault ran a series of "newspaper" articles on the Gold Rush Games Home Page, along with little "mini" adventures to give GMs a taste of what the San Angelo universe would be like. Must have worked like a charm, because the GRG booth at Gen Con practically (if not in fact) sold out it's entire stock of SACOH the first day it was available. I know for a fact Mark sold half his supply at the Con before noon on Friday, and that SACOH is already getting ready to go into a second printing.
This is not to say that SA is not without its flaws, however. As is typical of any Hero related product, SACOH is peppered with typos and grammatical errors in the text. There are major flaws in some of the character write ups. For example, Lotus ( a martial artist), pays only 10 points for 60 STR. I'm not going to nit pick all the bugs, as I understand they're being corrected for the second printing. Most of the flaws are minor at worst. Overall, SACOH is a pleasing product graphically speaking. As I noted before, the maps are beautifully done. The layout is splendid, and Mark is clever at including little peices of art that make San Angelo feel like a real place. Take a look at the ATM card on p. 155 for an example of what I mean. These little details really help turn the text into a visual place that oozes life: newspaper clips, poll results, Top Ten listings, memos and letters from local people really make San Angelo come alive. The artwork ranges from OK to fantastic. The rooftop on p. 150 has a creepy feel, while the fellow on p. 38 looks like he's ready to jump out of the book. Take a look at the pond on p. 27--they did some really nifty computer enhancement of the artist's (Storn Cook I think) ink drawing for a cool mirror effect. This kind of light shading work appears throughout the book, and really adds sparkle to most of the artwork. Storn Cook's cover is not his best, unfortunately. This is purely a personal opinion, but it looks to me like what would have been a fine ink piece has been spoiled by poor coloration. This is in contrast to the excellent coloration done for two of Storn's other pieces on the back cover. I do like the activity of the front cover, as well as Storn's effort to show that being a superhero is not always fun and games as evidenced by the torn costume and bleeding wounds Corona is taking.
Now you may be asking yourself, "I've already got Justice, Not Law and Bay City. Why do I need to buy another city sourcebook?" Glad you asked. Well, Theala recommends San Angelo for a couple of reasons. For starters, Hudson City is specifically designed for a dark, gritty universe. San Angelo is designed with a more four color world in mind. Although the seedy side of town is detailed, San Angelo lacks the Batman TAS feel of Hudson City. Hudson City reminds me of Gotham City. San Angelo reminds me of Metropolis. Fuzion's Bay City is not as well detailed as a city sourcebook, but rather consists of detailed descriptions of individual buildings and people who could be cut and pasted into any city setting. The Champions: New Millenium universe is also a darker feeling universe. According to GRG President Mark Aresenault, San Angelo will evolve. Future supplements will show the passage of time, while still leaving room for your player characters as the main heroes of the day. But the day to day life of the city will grow and develop just like any real city would. All San Angelo sourcebooks are supposed to remain true to the universe concept, and all future books are supposed to undergo heavy editing to make sure future authors toe the conceptual line. Unlike the original Champions Universe, which is a hodge podge of individual flights of fancy, the San Angelo Universe will be consistent and logical. If a building is destroyed in one supplement, it will not magically reconstruct itself in a following book. San Angelo is also supposed to be 5th Edition compatible--a subject on which I'm not qualified to judge since Steve Long hasn't finished writing 5th Edition yet.
I've never bothered with a rating system before. I probably should start if I'm going to review product on a semi-consistent basis. So I'll borrow Dragon Magazine's die pip rating system and give San Angelo 5 pips in terms of it's overall quality. It's a well written, well thought out universe. The layout and artwork are pleasing. The material is immediately useful to the GM. The only flaws are in the character writeups and the typos. Well worth your hard earned bucks. Gold Rush Games has had trouble adhereing to it's production schedule, but they make up for it by constantly improving the quality of their products. I've always been pleased with the material I've bought from them, and if future San Angelo material follows this trend, then it will be campaign material worth watching.
The next product I'm going to review is Creation Workshop for Hero: Hero Creator. This was also released at Gen Con this year, and is the long awaited successor to HeroMaker. Ever since HeroMaker was released there have been several consistent complaints. 1) It's EGA graphics and DOS interface make it ugly and clunky to start in a Windows environment, 2) the printer drivers are poor, and failed to keep up with current technology forcing users to use third party software such as Adobe Acrobat or Ghostscript to print out readable/usable character sheets, 3) there was no Mac version, and porting HeroMaker to Mac was difficult if not impossible, and 4) HeroMaker was inflexible to individual GM's house rules.
Hero Creator solves many of these issues. It is a Windows program. It is able to use standard Windows printer drivers, and does not require third party drivers specifically for Hero Creator to print out character sheets. If you buy the fully customizable version of Creation Workshop, you can adjust Hero Creator to create characters with your own house rules in mind (this will come in handy when 5th Edition is released). There's still no Mac version of the software available, but if you can run Virtual Windows then you can run Hero Creator in emulation.
So, how well does this program work? Pretty well. The interface does take some getting used to if you've been using HeroMaker for a long time (as I have). But once you get used to the fairly significant changes in layout it's a snap to use. You do have to click and click and click to get access to all the options Hero Creator gives you for creating Powers, especially when adding Advantages and Limitations. You can create your own Limitations and Disadvantages just like in HeroMaker. If you have the fully customizable version of Creation Workshop, you can even create objects that you use frequently and save them for easier access. You can create your own character templates and printer templates for output (Warning: NOT for the faint of heart!). You can customize Hero Creator to produce characters and character sheets to your own specifications, but you really have to know what you're doing to do that. If you've been using HeroMaker, and don't want to re-enter all that data, no problem! Hero Creator imports .cha files virtually seemlessly. I had only minor corrections to make with the files I imported, and they all had to do with errors in how I created Power Frameworks.
Hero Creator is sold in two forms. One is customizable, one is not. The stand alone Hero Creator is cheaper, but if you buy the fully customizable version, you have the ability to convert Fuzion characters to and from 4th edition Champions. Handy, if you're using C:NM products. Plus, you'll have the ability to convert to and from other game systems as more templates are made for the program. Basically, the core program is Creation Workshop. To create Hero characters, you use the Hero template, to create Fuzion characters you use the Fuzion template. Creation Workshop comes with the Fuzion template by default--you have to buy the Hero template seperately. If you don't want to do that, then you can buy the non-customizable Hero Creator.
Printer output is currently tailored to look like the character sheet you can photocopy out of the Big Blue Book. There's a superheroic and heroic version. You can add character pictures to these character sheets--a big improvement from HeroMaker. If you buy the full version, you can create your own printer templates. Theala is currently trying to create a printer template that looks like the character sheet layout used in Hero Products. I must say, however, it's stretching my limited knowledge of computers to the utmost, so unless you know a little something about programming, you might want to pass on this option. There are character design templates (character sheet templates and printer templates are not the same thing) for spirits, vehicles, bases, computers, AI's, automotons, superheroic characters, and heroic level characters. Printer options follow similar lines.
So what does Theala think of Hero Creator? Well, it has it's advantages and disadvantages. Theala can't see any advantage in buying the limited version of Hero Creator, especially if you already have HeroMaker. That's like buying a car without any gas. The beauty of this program is the ability to tailor it to your own desires. If you are used to to HeroMaker's single screen interface, then Hero Creator takes some getting used to. But since it's a Windows program, your old problems with HeroMaker's inadequate printer drivers will become a thing of the past. You have expanded screens for entering detailed information about your character, including vital statistics, and if you want you can create new data screens to meet your own specifications. One thing you do have to be very careful about is Power Frameworks. If you don't follow the rules exactly, you'll get error symbols on your character sheet, and the software will yell at you.
Overall score? I'll give it 5 pips again, as the products only major disadvantage is the occasional clunkiness of the interface. As a creation program goes, it is superior to HeroMaker, and by far the best character creation program I've seen yet. It beats out AD&D's Core Rules vol I because of it's flexibilty. I haven't seen the latest version of that program, so I'm not sure if they've improved it or not (and it sure needed improvement.) If templates for other game systems become available, then this product will be an indispensible aid for GMs no matter what system they play, or what products they buy. I don't know about you, but I buy products from many other game systems because I never turn my back on a good idea. I'm hoping to see more templates, to make the work of converting that material easier.
Soon to be released is the latest product from Gold Rush Games, The Dragon's Gate is a sourcebook for Chinatown. It describes the layout of Chinatown, complete with map of the district, provides characters, places, and everything the GM needs to add a taste of the Orient to his gaming. Best used for street level adventures, Dragon's Gate is a perfect sourcebook for fast action, John Woo style games. It can also add a hint of the exotic to a traditional superheroic level game ala Watcher's of the Dragon. Most of the characters are normals the heroes might encounter or work with. There are a number of characters suitable for superheroic contact or combat, though in keeping with the original power level of the universe, most are best used for low powered games.
Most of the characters and sites are Chinese. There is an extensive timeline of the history of Chinatown, which makes running adventures on past events easy, and gives the GM plenty of information to flavor the campaign with. There are a few references to Japanese culture, and almost none to other Asian cultures. Stay tuned to Theala's Page though: I will soon be publishing on the Web San Angelo information for the Korean community, along with Koreatown's very own protector.
Some of the fully fleshed characters contain the usual mechanical problems associated with Hero system products. Flamestar in particular, is poorly designed mechanically (the character concept is actually quite interesting)--although he is supposed to have wide ranging fire control powers, and uses them to fight fires, the mechanics of the character are rather uninspired combat powers--your very basic energy projector.
Most of the sourcebook avoids those kinds of flaws, and sticks to the original vision of the San Angelo universe. Dragon's Gate manages to retain the charm and versatility of the original sourcebook.
Amy G. Crittenden aka Theala SildorianCreated: April 21, 1995, Updated: November 10, 2000